


Con Artist

by dinglesugdendinglesugden



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: AU, Angst, Fluff, M/M, con artist
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-22
Updated: 2018-03-22
Packaged: 2019-04-06 14:11:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,216
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14058690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dinglesugdendinglesugden/pseuds/dinglesugdendinglesugden
Summary: Robert and Aaron make their living being con artists, but Aaron wants more from Robert.





	Con Artist

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this a while ago and posted it on tumblr for an anon and thought that I may as well post it on here separately because it’s one of my favourite things I’ve written. 
> 
> Tumblr: @prettyboysugden

They knew the plan by now. It was something they’d practised and executed over and over again. A random nightclub, flashing lights, acting drunk. It was rehearsed, perfected. Never failed. They’d been doing it for months now, first starting off a little tentatively, gaining more and more confidence as Aaron managed to steal wallet after wallet.

  
Robert eyed their latest victim the minute they walked into the club, careful not to get too close to each other, just like always. It was a slight nod of the head in his direction, and Aaron was making his way over to the nicely dressed brunet, his hair curled over his glasses in an unruly fashion, but it worked. He’s the sort of person Aaron would go for, had he not been madly in love with Robert. It was always made easier when the victim was actually good looking; Aaron could properly flirt then.

  
“You on your own then?” Aaron asked, his lips unnecessarily close to the victims ear, practically brush. It was all part of the charm.

  
He nodded, bright eyes looking up at Aaron, face illuminated pink and purple with every change of the lights. “And you?”

  
Aaron smirked, knowing that it was working already. “Course.” He replied, leaning his body on the bar, half empty glass of pint in hand, stolen from a table somewhere at the back of the club. It was easy. Routine. Something he’d become an expert at, all the while just secretly wishing he was flirting with Robert.

  
Robert knew the plan back to front, inside out. He’d watch Aaron flirt with an attractive stranger, just like he did to Robert all those years ago, then he’d go over and confront his ‘boyfriend’ and the victim, all while Aaron slipped the wallet from his jacket. He just had to wait for Aaron to give a signal, a different one each time, dependent on the situation he was in. Normally at a bar, his hand would raise above his head, calling the bartender over and that was exactly what happened here.

  
Josh, Aaron had learned in the ten minutes he’d been stood with him, was a graphic designer, working for different companies in creating logos. An interesting job, Aaron thought, if he had any care about Josh himself. He called the bartender over, and in turn, Robert, knowing that the next stage of the plan had to be put into action soon.

  
“Can I have two pints ple-” Aaron started to ask, leaning over the bar, reaching into his own wallet to get a ten pound note out.

  
Robert had walked over to him, a scripted look of anger on his face, darkness clouded over in his eyes. “Aaron!” He shouted over the music, visibly shocking both Aaron and Josh, judging by the way they both jumped.

  
“Shit!” Aaron spat, attempting to move, only to be stopped by Robert.

  
The plan, it was going perfect.   
“Who’s this?” Robert asked, walking closer to Aaron, pressing against him, jerking his head towards Josh.

  
“He’s nobody.” Aaron said. “Just buying a pint.”

  
“Eh?!” Josh shouted, “Nah, you were just fucking flirting with me.”

  
Robert looked over at Josh, knowing full well that he was telling the truth. It was what Aaron did. He’d fallen hook, line and sinker. “Well you see..” Robert spoke, hinting that he wanted the mans name.

  
“Josh.” He responded, face like thunder whilst Aaron shied away.

  
“Josh.” Robert repeated, almost testing the name out on his tongue. “The thing is, Aaron here, he’s my boyfriend. Has been for five years now, and it seems that I’d believe him over some bloke in a club. So Aaron, care to explain?”

  
Aaron practically pulled away from Robert’s hold, moving ever so slightly closer to Josh, his hand leaning on the bar, fingers spread out, tips just brushing the wallet. “I wouldn’t need to flirt if you just proposed!” He shouted, causing people to turn around and look at them, before moving again, feeling as though it wasn’t their place to look.

  
_Well that wasn’t part of the script._

  
Robert’s face dropped. Like, actually, visibly dropped, and Aaron knew that his words hit Robert more than anyone would ever realise. “I wanted to.” Robert recovered. “I was so close to going out and buying that ring, but how can I trust you now?”

  
Aaron managed to somehow drag the wallet out from Josh’s jacket whilst all of this was going on, pushing it up his jumper sleeve out of sight. Just in time really, because only seconds later Josh picked up his pint and walked away without so much as another word. He just left Robert and Aaron standing there to argue it out.

  
“You can trust me.” Aaron weakly spoke, eyes trained to the club floor, watching intensely as people danced around them, completely unaware of what had just happened.

  
Robert span around, making a beeline for the exit, and Aaron knew that this is what they did. They stole a wallet, and then left straight away. But there was a part of Aaron’s gut that told him Robert was walking away from him.

  
He followed Robert out onto the street, calling his name over and over again, until Robert finally faced him. “The fuck was that?!” He exploded, face now red with anger.

  
“I’m sorry, alright?” Aaron shouted. “I’m sorry!”

  
Clearly it was all too much for Aaron, because moments later he just broke down, tears streaming down his face. Robert moved closer to him, feeling a gust of almost protection over the man he had grown fond of over the years, the man he worked with, the man he slept with. Robert held out his arms, cuddling Aaron into his chest as he just let the tears roll out of his eyes. “It’s alright. I’ve got you.” Robert soothed, rubbing his hand on Aaron’s back, feeling the younger man almost oozing in relaxation. “I was being serious in there. I was ready to propose.”

  
Aaron pulled away from Robert in shock, wiping his face clean from his tear streaks. “What?” He mumbled out, voice hoarse.

  
Robert innocently smiled, lifting his hands up to cup Aaron’s face, letting his thumbs run over Aaron’s cheeks. “Yeah.” He confirmed, voice barely above a whisper. “We do everything together Aaron. I’ve spent the last five years of my life with you, living together, sleeping together. It’s like we’ve been together without even realising it and I love you.”

  
“You love me?” Aaron asked shyly, eye’s not daring to look into Robert’s own right now.

  
“I love you.” Robert nodded.

  
Aaron smiled wildly, leaning forward and catching Robert’s lips with his own, not caring if people were staring at them. He’d just been told he was loved. By Robert. _Robert_.

  
Pulling back, Aaron looked right into Robert’s eyes, before Robert moved forward again and pressed his lips to Aaron’s once more, not wanting to forget the taste.

  
“Y’know, you can say it back?” Robert said, a laugh falling across his lips before Aaron put his arms over Robert’s shoulders, holding them both close together.

  
“I love you.” Aaron admitted, kissing Robert softly this time. “So much. And yes.”

  
Robert raised an eyebrow at that, face only centimetres away from Aarons. “’Yes’ what?”

  
“Yes, I will marry ya.”


End file.
